EC to announce schedule for its 'EVM challenge' tomorrow

By Express News Service |
Published: 19th May 2017 03:42 PM |

Last Updated: 19th May 2017 11:03 PM | A+A A- |

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Image used for representational purpose.

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is all set to throw a ‘challenge’ to prove that electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be tampered with. Official spokesperson said that the schedule for this will be announced on Saturday.

Earlier on May 12, the poll panel held an all party meeting and the chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi had said to political parties that ‘challenge is on the cards’. In the meeting most parties had said EVMs could be used for future elections if they came with a paper trail machine, which would enable the electorate to check if their vote had been registered against the person of their choice. On the other side a few parties had also raised fingers on the use of EVMs in polls.

Officials said that the poll panel would offer an opportunity to political parties to demonstrate that the EVMs used in recent elections were tampered with or that EVMs could be tampered with even under strict technical and administrative safeguards as applicable during elections.

The election commission has responded as many political parties including Aam Admi Party led by Arvind Kejriwal had initiated the debate on functioning of electronic voting machines. AAP had said that its defeat in Punjab and at other places was calibrated entirely by malpractices. Even after the MCD polls results, many AAP leaders blamed EVMs for the defeat. Apart from this, many other Opposition parties, including the Congress, have alleged tampering of the EVMs after the recent Assembly elections.

Earlier, a delegation of 16 parties recently met President Pranab Mukherjee and submitted a memorandum on the alleged tampering of the voting machines during the February-March elections.

In 2009, the Commission had held out a similar challenge when it demonstrated the functioning of EVMs brought in from various parts of the country to Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.